Floating dock structure



June 6, 1967 A. M. FILAK 3,323,479

FLOATING 'DOCK STRUCTURE Filed June 28, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. fixv es'w M F/LAA is Z8 BY @MQ ,W

ArToe/vm June 6,1967 A. M. FILAK FLOATING DOCK STRUCTURE V Filed June 28, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m5 was INVENTOR. fl/vpesw M F1; Aw

43% Q. Gum

a flrroe/vsy United States Patent 3,323,479 FLQATING DOCK STRUCTURE Andrew M. Fiiak, 4105 Admirable Drive, Portuguese Bend, Calif. 90274 Filed .iune 28, 1965, Ser. No. 467,579 11 Claims. (CI. 1l4.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE The present invention relates generally to the field of marine structures and more particularly to a lightweight modular docking and utility system that may be assembled in any desired configuration and easily placed on or removed from a body of water without the use of heavy equipment.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending patent application Ser. No. 294,074, filed July 10, 1963, and entitled, Modular Docking and Utility System, which issued as Patent No. 3,191,565 on June 29, 1965.

In the past, many docking systems have been devised and installed for the purpose of mooring pleasure boats thereto. However, in the main, these systems have suffered from one or more disadvantages in that they are unduly expensive to fabricate, are so heavy they must be fabricated at the job site, require the use of heavy floating equipment for the installation thereof, require an excessive amount of labor in the assembly thereof, and are not adapted to be easily removed from bodies of water subjected to severe icing conditions.

A major object of the present invention is to provide a floating dock and utility system which substantially eliminates the disadvantages mentioned above, and one which provides a lightweight, portable floating dock having a high degree of stability.

Another object of the present invention is to supply a floating clock which due to the light weight thereof minimizes the number of piles necessary to hold it in place, can be easily installed by a limited number of workmen by use of simple hand tools, and a dock that requires no heavy equipment for the installations or removal thereof from a body of Water.

A further object of the invention is to provide a floating dock, the components of which can be fabricated at a geographical location far removed from the installation site, and one embodying components which are sufficiently compact and light in weight to permit the economical shipment thereof in a disassembled condition or as subassemblies to the job site.

Yet another object of the invention is to free the producer of the float units of the present docking system from merely serving a relatively small geographical area as many manufacturers of prior docking units are so restricted, for it is possible for the producer to ship such units as those of the present invention throughout a Wide territory due to the compactness and light weight thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a docking system of light weight, that is stabilized against abrupt movement by a portion of the body of water on which it floats being utilized as ballast.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description thereof and from the accompanying drawings illustrating the same, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a typical residential dock defined by a number of the float units;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a dock defined by the float units, which includes a headwalk and fingers projecting outwardly therefrom;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragment of the dock shown in FIGURE 2, with portions of the load-supporting deck removed therefrom to disclose the structure thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the dock shown in FIGURE 3, taken on the line 44 thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one of the ballast tanks used in one of the float units;

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of one of the ballast tanks;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of one of the ballast tanks, taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5, and with a buoyant body disposed therein;

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a first form of float unit disposed to define a portion of a dock;

FIGURE 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view of one of the first form of float units, taken on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 10 is .a transverse cross-sectional view of an alternate form of float unit.

Referring now to FIGURES 8 and 9 for the structure of the first form of float uni-t A, it will be seen that the unit includes a load-bearing deck B, which has a buoyant body C depending therefrom that is enveloped by a ballast tank D. The float units A are held together in a desired configuration such as shown in either FIGURES 1 or 2, by two laterally spaced stringers E that extend along the sides thereof, and tie rods F. In the configuration shown in FIGURE 2, the float units A are also held together by an-gularly disposed members G.

The deck B of each float unit A includes a first upper rectangular sheet 10 of a rigid material thas is preferably plywood. When the float units A are of a 4 foot by 8 foot size, it has been found that /8" plywood is satisfactory for this purpose. Inasmuch as the sheet 10 will be subjected to water and moisture, it has been found desirable to coat the same with a plastic impregnated overlay 12. This overlay 12 consists of a phenol-formaldehyde thermosetti-ng plastic. This overlay 12 has a rough surface resembling a small waffle pattern, which grips securely, yet is comfortable to bare feet. The deck B also includes a second rectangular sheet 14 that is spaced below the first sheet 10, as can best be seen in FIGURE 9, with the adjacent edge surfaces of the first and second sheets being bonded or otherwise secured to two laterally spaced longitudinally extending side pieces 16. Two end pieces 18 are provided, as can best be seen in FIGURE 8, that are at least partially covered by the first and second sheets 10 and 14.

A confined space 20 defined by the interior surfaces of the first and second sheets 10 and 14, as well as the interior surfaces of the side pieces 16, is filled with a structural core material H. This core material H is preferably paper honeycomb panels, that are impregnated with a phenolic resin that is fully resistant to moisture and fungus. An intermediately positioned third sheet 22 is preferably utilized in defining the deck B, as can best be seen in FIGURE 8, and with the honeycomb panels being secured to the top and bottom surfaces thereof, as well as to the lower surface of the first shell and the upper surface of the lower shell. The bonding of the honeycomb panels to the first, second and third shells is preferably by the use of resorcinol glue, which glue is impervious to the dampness that will normally be encountered by the deck B when used as a part of the float unit A. Deck B, as above described, has an extremely high strength-toweight and rigidity-to-weight ratio.

The buoyant body C, which serves as a pontoon, is of lesser transverse cross-sectional area than that of the second sheet 14. The buoyant body C is bonded to the lower surface of the second sheet 15 by glue (not shown), or other suitable means. The buoyant body C cooperates with the second sheet 14 to define a rectangular margin 24 that is defined on the lower surface of the second sheet, as can best be seen in FIGURES 8 and 9. The buoyant body C is preferably formed from a gasolineresistant, fire-retardant expanded poly-styrene, which assures positive floatation of the float unit A with a minimum of maintenance attention thereto. The buoyant body C is molded to have a smooth impermeable skin on the exterior surface thereof.

The ballast tank D, as can best be seen in FIGURES 8 and 9, is preferably of a catamaran configuration and may be formed from a single sheet of high-density linear polyethylene. The ballast tank D, which is open at the top, includes side walls 26, end walls 28, and a bottom 30. The ballast tank D has a continuous flange 32, that extends outwardly from the upper extremities of the side walls 26 and end walls 28 of the tank D. The flange 32 is of such size and shape as to be disposed in abutting contact with the margin 24. Fastening means 34 are provided to secure the flange 32 to the margin 24, as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9.

The float units A are held in any desired configuration such as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, by stringers 36 that abut against the side pieces 16, and are secured thereto by the tie rods 38. The tie rods 38 extend transversely through the decks B, side pieces 16, and stringers E, and have outwardly projecting end portions that are engaged by nuts 40. When it is desired to have a finger J project outwardly from a headwalk portion K of a dock structure, as shown in FIGURE 2, a number of longitudinally spaced members 42 are secured to the stringers 36 by tie rods 38. The members 42 have pairs of stringers 36 extending outwardly therefrom, which stringers are secured to a number of the float units A that are disposed end to end.

Angularly disposed rigid members G are provided that extend between the headwall portion K of the dock, as shown in FIGURE 3, and finger I, and are secured thereto by use of the tie rods 38. The dock is maintained at a fixed floating position in a body of water by having keepers 46 engage piles (not shown), as is conventional in floating wharf structures. The angularly disposed members G and nailer strips 48 secured to the stringers 36, as shown in FIGURE 3, serve as supports for triangularshaped rigid sheets 50, that rest thereon and are secured thereto by conventional means. The sheets 50 cooperate with the sheets to define walkway surfaces. In FIG- URES 8 and 9 it will be seen that the buoyant body C and the ballast tank D cooperate to define a confined space 54. The bottom 30 of the ballast tank D has one or more fill openings 56 therein through which water can flow into the confined space 54. The water entering the confined space 54 acts as ballast to lower the center of gravity of the float units. Due to the lowered center of gravity and inertia of the water in space 54, the dock is not subject to abrupt movement by persons walking thereon or a boat attempting to move relative thereto.

A first alternate form of the floating unit is shown in FIGURE 10, which is identical to the first form above described, other than that the bottom 39' defines an inverted cup-shaped cavity 58 of substantial size. The alternate form of the device is similar in structure to the first form of the float unit and the same letters and numerals as used in the first form of the device are used in designating like elements in the alternate form but with a prime being added thereto. The cavity 58 is in communication with a tube 60 that extends upwardly through the float unit and projects outwardly from one of the side walls 26 of the ballast tank D above the water line. The upper end of the tube 6t) can be closed by a plug or cover 62. When the plug or cover 62 is removed from tube 60, and the float unit is floating on a body of Water, a portion of this body of water will flow into the cavity 58 and displace the air therein upwardly through the tube 60 to the ambient atmosphere. After the air has been so displaced, the plug or cover 62 is mounted on the tube 60 and water in the cavity 58 will be maintained therein. This water that is maintained within the cavity 58 acts as a ballast to prevent abrupt movement of the float unit when it is subjected to a sudden downward or sidewise force. When it is desired to remove one or more of the float units A from the water on which it floats, the plug or cover 62 is removed from the tube 60, to permit air to flow from the ambient atmosphere through the tube 60 into the cavity 58 as the float unit is raised from the water.

The installation of the float units A and the decks B to define the dock structure shown in FIGURES 1 or 2, is relatively simple. The deck B is preferably prefabricated and delivered to the job site as an integral unit. Each deck B includes the first sheet 10, second sheet 14 bonded to the side pieces 16, with the structural core material H and third sheet 22 sandwiched therebetween, as previously described in detail. The decks B are disposed in end-to-end relationship (FIGURE 8), with the interior end surfaces of the first sheet 10 and second sheet 14 partially overlapping the end pieces 18 which serve as connectors.

The portions of the decks B that overlap the end pieces 18 are glued or otherwise bonded thereto, whereby decks B define a continuous walkway, such as shown in FIG- URE 1. Although buoyant bodies C and ballast tanks D can be aflixed to each of the decks B, in most instances this is unnecessary for each of the buoyant bodies C is of such size and density as to be capable of supporting more than one of the decks. For instance, on a dock structure such as shown in FIGURE 1, alternate ones of the se quence of decks B may have a buoyant body C and ballast tank D associated therewith, as shown in FIGURE 8.

The buoyant bodies C are preferably shipped to the job site in a desired molded configuration and with a smooth impermeable skin on the exterior surface thereof that minimizes absorption of water by each of the bodies. The upper surface of each buoyant body C is bonded by glue, adhesive, or other suitable means, to the lower surface of the second sheet 14-. After being so affixed to the second sheet 14, each buoyant body C is encased in one of the ballast tanks D, with the flange 32 of the ballast tank being secured to the second sheet 14 by fastening means 34 of a conventional nature such as screws, or the like.

The stringers 36, shown in FIGURE 9, are then adhered in abutting contact to the exterior surfaces of the side pieces 16 by the use of glue and adhesive, or other suitable bonding material, that is not adversely affected by exposure to moisture or water. When so assembled, the dock system is light in Weight and may be easily moved into the water without the use of heavy construction equipment. After the assembled deck is so disposed in the water, water enters the confined spaces 54 through the openings 56, and thereafter serves as ballast to prevent abrupt movement of the float units A when they are subjected to a sudden downward or sidewise force. In addition to cooperating with the buoyant body C to define the confined spaces 54, the ballast tank D also serves as a protective shield to prevent damage to the impermeable outer surface of the buoyant body C upon contact thereof with floating debris or the like.

The alternate form of float unit, shown in FIGURE 10, is aflixed to one of the decks B in the same manner described above, and operates in the same manner as the first form of the float ,unit, other than that the water which acts as a ballast is contained within the cavity 58 and actually does not contact the buoyant body C'.

A plastic impregnated honeycomb panel has been shown and described herein as the structural core material H. However, other lightweight rigid materials may also be used for this purpose, such as a foamed polymerized resin, cardboard tubes, wood curls, and the like.

When it is desired to provide a headwalk K (FIGURE 2), the walkway surface thereof is defined by two rows of the decks B that are laterally separated by a longitudinally extending box L. The box L provides an enclosure 64 in which utility lines (not shown), such as used for supplying electric power, water, and the like, are contained. Box L is defined by a top 66, that has an upper surface that lies in the same horizontal plane as the upper surfaces of the sheets 10, as can best be seen in FIG- URE 4, and a bottom 68. Two side members 70 are provided that join the top 66 and bottom 68, with the side members being 'affixed to the adjacently disposed side pieces 16 of the decks B.

The two rows of decks B and the box L are aflixed to the flanges 32 of the ballast tanks D by fastening means 34, which ballast tanks have their longitudinal axis disposed normal to the side pieces 16, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The ballast tanks D are longitudinally spaced along the headwalk K in the same manner as the ballast tanks are spaced along the fingers J. A number of transversely positioned connectors 72 are provided that are disposed between the ballast tanks D and are aflixed by bolts or other suitable fastening means to the side pieces 16 of the decks B, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The connectors 72 may be formed from wood, aluminum, hot dipped galvanized angle, or like materials. If desired, fingers I may extend outwardly from the headwalk K, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, and the fingers being secured thereto by use of the angularly disposed members G, tie rods 38, and the longitudinally spaced members 42. It will be seen that the decks B can be utilized equally well in defining walkway surfaces either on the fingers I or the headwalk K.

Although the present invention is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative to the presently preferred embodiment thereof and I do not mean to be limited to the details of construction herein shown and described, other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A first portable float unit that can be assembled on site from a plurality of lightweight shippable sub-assemblies and held in a substantially fixed position relative to second and third of said float units that are assembled, to provide a horizontal load-bearing surface, which first unit includes:

(a) first and second rigid rectangular sheets of substantially the same size, said second sheet spaced from said first sheet and substantially parallel thereto;

(b) two laterally spaced side pieces that are bonded to adjacent longitudinally extending side surfaces of said first and second sheets;

(c) structural core material in a space defined by the interior surfaces of said sheets and said side pieces;

(d) two end pieces that are each partially covered by said first and second sheets, and the portions of each of said end pieces not so covered being covered by first and second sheets of second and third float units adjacent said first float unit;

(e) a buoyant body of lesser transverse area than that of said second sheet bonded to the lower surface thereof, said body and second sheet cooperating to define a rectangular marginal surface;

(f) an open topped rectangular ballast tank of sub stantially greater volume than said buoyant body and having a flange that extends outwardly from the upper edge thereof, which flange is of such size and shape as to abut against said marginal surface, and said tank having at least one opening therein through which water can flow into a confined space in said tank at least partially situated below said body to act as ballast, and stabilize said first float unit against abrupt movement when said first unit is subjected to a sudden downward or sidewise directed force;

(g) first means for holding said flange in abutting contact contact with said marginal surface;

(-h) two parallel laterally spaced stringers that abut against the exterior surfaces of said side walls;

(i) a plurality of tie rods having threaded end portions that are transversely disposed and longitudinally spaced from one another, said tie rods extending through said stringers, side walls and core material, with said threaded end portions projecting outwardly from said stringers; and

(j) a plurality of nuts that engage said threaded end portions, said nuts when tightened maintaining said stringers in abutting contact with said side walls.

2. A first portable float unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said first sheet is plywood, and in addition includes:

(k) a polymerized resin overlay that envelopes said first sheet and protects said plywood from moisture and the weather.

3. A first portable float unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said side pieces are wood, and said structural core material are panels of paper honeycomb impregnated with a polymerized resin to render the same resistant to fungus and moisture, with said panels being bonded to said first and second sheets with a glue that is impervious to dampness.

4. A first portable float unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said structural core material includes:

(k) a third panel intermediately disposed between said first and second panels;

(1) a plurality of paper honeycomb panels impregnated with a polymerized resin to render the same resistant to fungus and moisture disposed above and below said third panel and in abutting contact with the inner surfaces of said first and second panels; and

(In) means for bonding said honeycomb panels to said third panel and inner surfaces of said first and second panels.

5. A first portable float unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said structural core material is a foamed polymerized resin.

6. A first portable float unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said structural core material are a plurality of cardboard tubes disposed side by side and in abutting contact.

7. A first portable float unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said structural core material is wood curls.

8. A first portable float unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second sheets of said first float unit are bonded to said end pieces, as are said first and second sheets of said second and third float units.

9. A first portable float unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said stringers are wood, and are bonded to said side pieces of said first, second and third float units.

3,323A79 7 y e 10. A first portable float unit as defined in Claim 1, References Cited wherein said ballast tank is preformed from a polymer- UNITED STATES PATENTS ized resin, and in addition to cooperating with said buoyant body to define said confined space, also serves g fi as a protective barrier to prevent floating debris damaging 5 ars said buoyant body by forceful contact therewith. g i 11. A first'portabie float. unit as defined in claim 1, 7/1965 c wherein said buoyant body is formed from a gasolineapman resistant, fire-retardant, expanded polystyrene that has MILTON BUCHLER Primary Examiner a smooth impermeable outer skin to minimize absorption 10 of Water by said body. T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FIRST PORTABLE FLOAT UNIT THAT CAN BE ASSEMBLED ON SITE FROM A PLURALITY OF LIGHTWEIGHT SHIPPABLE SUB-ASSEMBLIES AND HELD IN A SUBSTANTIALLY FIXED POSITION RELATIVE TO SECOND AND THIRD OF SAID FLOAT UNITS THAT ARE ASSEMBLED, TO PROVIDE A HORIZONTAL LOAD-BEARING SURFACE, WHICH FIRST UNIT INCLUDES: (A) FIRST AND SECOND RIGID RECTANGULAR SHEETS OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE, SAID SECOND SHEET SPACED FROM SAID FIRST SHEET AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL THERETO; (B) TWO LATERALLY SPACED SIDE PIECES THAT ARE BONDED TO ADJACENT LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDE SURFACES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SHEETS; (C) STRUCTURAL CORE MATERIAL IN A SPACE DEFINED BY THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF SAID SHEETS AND SAID SIDE PIECES; (D) TWO END PIECES THAT ARE EACH PARTIALLY COVERED BY SAID FIRST AND SECOND SHEETS, AND THE PORTIONS OF EACH OF SAID END PIECES NOT SO COVERED BEING COVERED BY FIRST AND SECOND SHEETS OF SECOND AND THIRD FLOAT UNITS ADJACENT SAID FIRST FLOAT UNIT; (E) A BUOYANT BODY OF LESSER TRANSVERSE AREA THAN THAT OF SAID SECOND SHEET BONDED TO THE LOWER SURFACE THEREOF, SAID BODY AND SECOND SHEET COOPERATING TO DEFINE A RECTANGULAR MARGINAL SURFACE; (F) AN OPEN TOPPED RECTANGULAR BALLAST TANK OF SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER VOLUME THAN SAID BUOYANT BODY AND HAVING A FLANGE THAT EXTENDS OUTWARDLY FROM THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF, WHICH FLANGE IS OF SUCH SIZE AND SHAPE AS TO ABUT AGAINST SAID MARGINAL SURFACE, AND SAID TANK HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING THEREIN THROUGH WHICH WATER CAN FLOW INTO A CONFINED SPACE IN SAID TANK AT LEAST PARTIALLY SITUATED BELOW SAID BODY TO ACT AS BALLAST, AND STABILIZE SAID FIRST FLOAT UNIT AGAINST ABRUPT MOVEMENT WHEN SAID FIRST UNIT IS SUBJECTED TO A SUDDEN DOWNWARD OR SIDEWISE DIRECTED FORCE; (G) FIRST MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID FLANGE IN ABUTTNG CONTACT CONTACT WITH SAID MARGINAL SURFACE; (H) TWO PARALLEL LATERALLY SPACED STRINGERS THAT ABUT AGAINST THE EXTERIOR SURFACES OF SAID SIDE WALLS; (I) A PLURALITY OF TIE RODS HAVING THREADED END PORTIONS THAT ARE TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED AND LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER, SAID TIE RODS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID STRINGERS, SIDE WALLS AND CORE MATERIAL, WITH SAID THREADED END PORTIONS PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID STRINGERS; AND (J) A PLURALITY OF NUTS THAT ENGAGE SAID THREADED END PORTIONS, SAID NUTS WHEN TIGHTENED MAINTAINING SAID STRINGERS IN ABUTTING CONTACT WITH SAID SIDE WALLS. 